To celebrate the achievements of our six R Factor finalists, we invited them along to perform their songs at our glitzy and glamorous musical extravaganza - the R Factor Live - at the Rheged Discovery Centre on June 24.

This showcase event was the culmination of the 10 month campaign aimed at encouraging more and more Cumbrians to reduce, reuse and recycle, and with performances on the day that would have impressed even Simon Cowell himself, our budding stars of the future did not disappoint.

First onto the stage were our runners up Crosscrake Primary in Stainton and Barrow's Cambridge Primary from the south of the county, and Rosley School, Wigton and Abbeytown's Holm Cultram Abbey from the north. They wowed the audience with their performances before being presented with their prize of a silver or gold disc of their songs.

Next to entertain the audience were our winners, Castle Park School from Kendal with their song "Can we do, Yes we can" and Kirkbride Primary with "Don't be Mean, You've got to be green". After they had raised the roof of the Rheged auditorium with their performance they were presented with their first prize platinum disc. The audience was then treated to the exclusive first play of the two professionally recorded songs prior to them being launched countywde on Monday 27 June.

Widely-renowned junk percussion band Weapons of Sound also took to the stage with an amazingly energetic and mesmerising performance using instruments created entirely from recycled materials.

Ian Garrow, Cumbria County Council's senior waste education officer, said: "The whole R Factor competition has been a big success and I know the children have had a great time in putting together their songs while learning about the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling - an essential message that will hopefully stay with them for a lifetime."

"This Live event at Rheged was a chance for them to show off their singing and song-writing talents in front of a live audience as well as getting the opportunity to see Weapons of Sound perform up close."

"Everybody who has taken part in every stage of this competition has put in a great deal of hard work and the R Factor Live is the culmination of everybody's efforts."